Folding egg-crate.



No. 793,819. PATENTED JULY el, 1995.1

L S CAMPBELL.

l-LDNG CRATE,

APPLIUATIGN Mmm Mm. 1a. m4.

z mms-s111mtr 1.

@Ho-www2 No. 793,819. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905,1 J. S. CAMPBELL.

FULDNG EGG GBA'HL APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 18, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

a if f Vf @n k /IN 7 Pn |[Iuvll 5 /J a Il Il) M ,il a MTI.- ,0/ w A M .n 0 f H I v lidiviirnn @mairies Patented July el, 21905.

anni tipifica,

JOHN S. CATVlPIlCL'L, OF rlLA'lflillt, llll'iritltlltl.

dated .Tilly 41, 1905.

Application filed January 18, 1904.. Serial No. 189,5/lfl.

lie it known thatfl, Jouw @aneurisma citizen oi,2 the United States, residing at Slater, in the cou ntv of Saline, @tate oi Missouri, have invented certain new and usel ul .l niprovem ents in liioid ing lilgg-Urates; and l do hereby declare the 'following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it api'iertains to make and use the same.

'.lhis invention relates to collapsible crates; and it has Jfor its object to provide a crate which when not in use may be folded to occupy a small space., which may be easily and quickly unfolded or set up, and which will be held firmly in its unloldcd position.

A. `further object ot' the invention is to provide a crate wherein the several members will be securely braced and a durable stri'lcture will be provided.

lin the drawings forming a portion oit this specilcation, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts inthe several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the crate set up and with its cover removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the crate with the cover in place. vertically through the crate with the cover in place. Fig. a is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the crate with the parts in their folded position.

Referring non7 to the drawings, there is shown a crate comprising a bottom 5, at the end edges ol'l which are hinged the ends 6 and 7 ot the crate, one leal?, 8, of each hinge being secured against the upper .tace of the bottom ot' the crate, while the other leaf, 9, is secured against the inner `face oi. the end et the crate and extends above the upper edge of the latter and has a perforation fl at a point above said upper edge.

.lllach side ol the crate comprises two members, including the lower members 10 and Yl1, which are lixed rigidly to the bottom 5, the menlber 1() being ot' a height substantially equa] to the thickness ol'I each end ol' the crate, while the member 11 is oi a height equal to the thickness oi. an end plus the thickness ot Fig. 3 is a transverse section takenI the upper member l). oli the opposite side. Above the lower mem ber '11 is an upper member 13. '.lhe upper members 12 and 13 are connected to the lower members .10 and 11 by means et hinges, there being illustrated two hinges 'tor each side el the crate, the hinges ot' one side being diainetrically opposite to those ol' the other side, so that the hinges are in transversi-z pairs. lCach transverse pair ot hinges includes a bar or metal strap 1.11-, disposed transversely ot' the upper face otl the bottom oi the crate and having its ends turn upwardly against the inner 'faces o'll the members l() and 11, at the upper edges oi which they terminate and are connected to the leaves 15 and 1G, which are secured against the inner iaccs el? the upper members 1Q and 13 ot the sides. The upper ends ot the leaves 15 and 16 project slightly above the upper edges ot' the members 12 and 13 ol the sides ol the crate and are adapted to enter openings 18 at the ends ol the heads 19 ot '"t-shaped braces, the stems 2O ot' which have openings 21, in which are received the upper ends of the leaves 9 of the end hinges. When these 'l"- shaped braces or tics are engaged with the ends of the hinge-leaves, they hold the sides and ends ot' the crate with their end edges in close contact.

The lshaped braces are secured tothe under side of a lid 9.2, which is adapted to iit upon the crate and has openings therein which aline, respectively, with the openings 18 and 2l., above referred to, and receive in connection therewith the upper ends of the leaves 9, 15, and 16. The pert'orations 9 lie above the upper tace oi' the cover or lid, and through them are engaged pins 23, which serve to hold the cover or lid with the "llsluuiied braces against upward. displacement.

l/Vhen the crate is to be folded, the pins are withdranm and the cover, with the T-shaped braces, is ren'loved. The ends oli the crate are then 'lolded il'iwardlyv upon the bottom 5, the upl'ier member 12 oit one side is YFolded downwardly upon the ends, the lid or cover disposed upon the member 12, and the member 13 is then Yfolded downwardly upon the lid or cover, the parts Vbeing held i n their l'olded positions by means of hooks 23', attached to the free edge portion of the member 13 and engaged with pins 21k at the edge of the bottom.

In practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

That is claimed isl. A folding crate comprising' a bottom, ends, a hinge for each end comprising a leaf attached to the bottom and a leaf attached to the inner face of the end and projecting thereabove, sides each comprising a lower member fixed to the bottom, and an upper member adapted to aline with the lower member,hinges connecting the upper and lower members of each side and each comprising a leaf secured to the upper member and projecting thereabove, and a T-shaped brace at cach end of the crate, through the stem of which the projecting portion of the leaf at the corresponding end of the crate is engaged and through the ends of the head of which the projecting' portions of the side leaves at the corresponding end of the crate are engaged.

2. A crate comprising` a hinge for each end comprisinga leaf attached to the bottom and a leaf attached to the inner bottom, ends, a

face of the end and projecting thereabove and having a perforation in its upper end portion, sides each comprising a lower member fixed to the bottom and an upper member adapted to aline with the lower member, hinges for the sides, the mutually opposite hinges of the sides comprising a common leaf extending transversely of the bottom and upwardly of the lower members of the sides, said hinges comprising also leaves extending upwardlj7 of the inner faces of the upper members of the sides and projecting' thereabove, a T-shaped brace at each end of the crate, through the stem of which the projecting portion of the leaf at the corresponding end of the crate is engaged and through the ends of the head of which the projecting' portions of the side leaves at the corresponding' end of the case are engaged, a lid having openings in which the upwardlyprojecting ends of the hinge-leaves are received and above which the perforated hingeleaves project, and locking-pins engaged in said perforations.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J @HN S. CAMPBELL.

W'itnesses:

J. B. STERRETT, F. A. CAMPBELL. 

